Monster Mania
by Sadako-Star of Tears
Summary: Story of a girl with a dream of finding out whether the Phoenix's power is true and that an evil monster is trying to become the next Moo.
1. Prologue

Authors note: Do I have to put an authors note?

Disclaimer: Um, I don't own these trademarks and the candy ones either... Just read it and you'll figure it out (you know The Monster Rancher characters)... Don't sue me!

Part 1: A Wonderful Beginning 

Hi, my names Katerina I'm a Monster Breeder! I'm proud to say my monsters are the best and are in tough and ready for any challenger... Well, that's what I'd like to say anyway. Truthfully I'm thirteen and about to receive my very own license and my first Mystery Disk. Luckily I live near the monster shrine so I can visit when I want without any big trouble. My town is very peaceful... Well, all except Lance who is a mean and spiteful boy with a Naga monster. I heard that the monster you receive is destined to fit your own individual personality and heart.

Of course we already knew his monster was just perfect for him and he took it for granted. He eventually became so powerful that he ran away with his Naga Nichiro and never came back... "Katerina, are you messing around again! I told you to get ready for your big day... It's such an honor for you to get your very first monster." My mother yelled, from in the kitchen. I put on a short sleeve shirt and shorts and darted out of my room. "Here is your lunch honey, have a good day... Come home when you get your first monster!" She cried, as I grabbed my lunch pail and stormed out the door in a flurry of my hands and legs shuffling through the crowded streets.

When I got to the service desk in the Monster License Bureau Tory, the manager in whom I had known all my life greeted me. "Katerina, I'm so glad to see you. Come into my office and sign the authentication of your registration..." He zipped, and I stepped in. Talk about using sophisticated words, he had a mouthful to say in the amount of time it took him. I sat down in a large chair at least twice my height and looked up at the tall, young, husky man. "Sign right here on the dotted line and then Geoffrey, the photographer can take you picture for your ID." He babbled, and I picked up the black ink pen with my right hand and scribbled my name... Which just happened to be my so-called "best penmanship". 

"All right M'dear just stay right there and I'll go get Geoffrey." Tory smiled, and darted out the door. Why didn't he just call the guy Geoff? He did like a challenging way of putting things.

Of course, like everything that Tory did the guy was rushed in the door with a slam and it was time to show my "pearly whites". I swear at that one moment I felt like I was a prisoner being taken in for an ID thing so I couldn't escape. I was up against a black wall and I was sure my picture would turn out awful. Geoffrey took the camera up and this time I felt like I was at a theme park with some nutty guy with funny hair saying, "Say cheese!" In that funny my nose is plugged up way.

And what did I tell ya? Just like magic my ID card popped out like Grandma Felicia at her belated 50th anniversary with the crusted X- husband of Grandma Brittany. He handed it to me and what do you think I saw? You're absolutely right... Me with that look of terror on your face like you were caught murdering your own bird or something... Pure torture and a half. I took it and half smiled at him... Great I look like a dying cow crossed with my great Aunt Betsy when I knocked her in the head with ping-pong ball at the Fourth of July. Yes, things could get no worse. The first thing I thought was, "Just give me the Mystery Disk and let me scram." Turns out life isn't fair and those stupid people stayed and talked for an entire hour... Without even once looking at me.

About an exact hour later I was handed the disk at last and I felt for once the wind against my face and skin as I ran to the shrine at the end of the town from where I departed from... I hope I get Pixie, she seems to fit my personality perfect. I entered and for once heard the eerie silence that not many people get to hear. Shaking with excitement I placed the disk in the hollow center and ran up to the stand-like place to unlock the disk at. "Unlock!" I called, and hoped for a spirited monster with a pure heart... And I think that's what I got too.

As the disk spinned a white ball bounced down on the ground and slowly it appeared... My very own Spot Dino! I smiled at the small Dino and picked it up and cuddled it. I had never seen anything so cute and yet spunky. "Hello, I'm....Er, I don't know my name..." The Spot Dino insisted, and looked up at me hopefully. "Um, I'll call you Mac... Is that okay with you?" I asked, and Mac nodded. "My name is Katerina, I'm your new friend." I sighed, and let it walk on its own as I left the shrine. "Mommy?" Mac asked, but I smiled and shook my head. "No not mommy, friend." I repeated, and entered my house. The pixie tiger my mom owned jumped at my feet as I entered. "Hey Petunia." I smiled, but I knew it was a pathetic name for such a cool monster. 

"Oh, honey your back all ready? Your friend Joey came by with his Suezo... It was quite cute, it was white and gold." She laughed, and I closed the door behind me to feel the cold air-conditioning. "That would be Orion then mom, didn't you use to be a Monster Breeder." I questioned, and got my hat from the closet in my room. "Yes dear but that was along time ago. You can't remember everything... Though I do remember something amazing that people today would die trying to see every day just for a glimpse of it." She hinted, and Mac and I came darting out to hear another one of her amazing tales.

"Well, you see Katerina... It was long before you were born when your father David and I met. We were sent out on an expedition to search the Cavern of Fate and look for the Legendary Monster-" She began but I knew what she was going to say and interrupted her. "The Pheonix bird!" I cried, and made Mac fall out of his stool that we usually use for Petunia. Mother smiled at me and nodded for permission to continue her story. " Well, we went so deep in the cave the light of our lantern burnt out from the chill of the cavern itself... We felt as if we were doomed and that we would never see the light of day again." She stopped, as a small power surge began in the house. 

"But of course we made for your here. And I think, if I may say it was the love that bound us together that helped us survive for a brilliant light shimmered in that cavern that day lighting our way out... And the source of that light as we saw with our very own eyes was none other then the Pheonix!" Mom finished, and my mouth dropped to the ground. "No way Mom, that's like im-" I started, but someone burst in the door. "Hey Kristin! Your actually here now, did Tory talk to you that long?" Joey laughed. "And that's not the worst part!" I insisted, and pulled out my crazy ID card. 

"Joey, haven't I reminded you that you should knock?" Mother questioned, and I yanked Joey back to my room as he yelled, "I'll try harder next time!" I practically fell over laughing when we reached my room. Just Orion, Mac, Joey, and I sitting in a circle talking. It was our only chance to talk from the crazy world we live in. Then the window popped open and once again I had a visitor. "Hey you guys how what's up?" Clarice asked, coming into my room and joining the circle with her Pixie. "Join the club!" Joey laughed, and in came Abe. "I'm a little to old for squeezing through your window but hey! What the heck."  
But his Golem had to stay outside. "Yeah, I think Smasher is a little bit too large to fit through any window or in any house in fact." Abe smiled, being the older out of us all. "Well, I see we all have new friends... And old." Joey noted, and we smiled at Mac and Orion. Then out of no where my mom came in and ruined it all. "Oh, no Katerina! You are not going to start a party in your room tonight, that was yesterday and all last week... I need a break, everyone out except for the original guest. "Op, I better be going then, I practically live in this house." Joey smiled, and left through the window along with all the monsters. "Bye!" I cried, but I knew tomorrows adventure would be even better. 

Part: 2 The Power of Eight

Tonight was very tiring. If I can say that that is. My first challenge was muting Mac and Petunia's choir concert that began at the middle of the night for absolutely no reason. The funny thing was though that it didn't seem happy at all. Actually it sounded like a cry for help... I ran to the kitchen where Mac had gone once I had fell asleep. They were staring out the window suspiciously and howling (well, Petunia, Mac was squealing). "What are you guys up to?" I insisted, and they turned to me immediately. "Something strange is out there Katerina... It's terribly powerful, whatever it is. And it's presence is near, we're warning all the other monsters in the town." Petunia chilled, and continued to howl. "Yeah, we believe it's someone even more powerful then Moo." Mac said, and started yelping once again. 

At first I was confused, I'd heard of the great Ganki who defeated Moo and became a legend but I thought the evil had ended? I stood there with my pj's on and wondering why all the lights in every house was on. I walked outside with Mac following behind me. I kicked some dirt up under my bare feet and looked up at the clear night sky. "Look you guys there's nothing here... Just the wind and the night." I sighed, but I too felt a presence. Even after I had said that though I too felt an evil. It really did send a chill down your back and make your heart skip a beat. And the silence made it overbearing, so much that I felt like whoever it was was really there. "Boo!" Someone cried, from behind and I screamed and flipped around.

In front of me stood Joey and his smiling face. "Gotcha!" He laughed, and I sighed. "Don't do that again Joey... Why are you here anyway?" I asked. "Orion and all the monsters in town are acting really weird... I think it's Lance, I think he's come back to no good." Joey said, but I wasn't so sure. "This town will be mine..." Someone insisted, from in the distance. "Everything you see Yoshamu, your dream will become mine... I am no longer yours. I am solo and in being so you shall die." It laughed, and I ran behind my house to see to slick blackish purple eyes like a cat. "Huh, who are you? You mind your own business and leave this place!" It sneered, but I took another step forward instead. "Go, he's to powerful for your monsters! Go I don't matter." Lance coughed, but I didn't look back. "Petunia go!" I called, and in stepped the pixie tiger. "Ha, that monster doesn't even compare to me." The Naga replied, stepping into the light. "Then how about us." Clarice and Abe insisted, with their monsters and Mac. "That still doesn't compare but for now I'm gathering my troops. I'll return, I promise you that." The Naga snickered, and slide away unseen. "T-thanks... Um, what's your name, the girl who wouldn't leave." Lance asked, looking at me. "Katerina, why?" I questioned, and I saw Joey get red. "You're really cool... I'm sorry I was such a jerk along time ago before I left with Nichiro." He apologized, and stood up. 

"You see I left with Nichiro in hope that I could rule the town... But I was wrong Nichiro had me under a trance and I followed his every command. But soon he became so powerful he insisted on taking over the world and threw me away." He admitted, and looked away into the nearby forest. "That forest is called "The Forest of-" He began but I finished, "The Golem!" I smiled, and realized that all the different kinds of Golem lived there. "Yes, and that's more then likely why he's headed there... It'll take him awhile though because he's gathering his troop of Naga buddies to help attack them." Lance finished,and Smasher said something. "Then were going to stop him... I use to live there before I met Abe." Smasher snapped, and it scared the group. "Whoa, that's impossible Smasher! A group of kids, ehem, and an adult can't stop him!" Clarice noticed, including Abe in this.

Smasher turned away from the group and looked at the stars in the sky. "Do you see that star right there that connects the five together in this endless sky?" He asked, and we nodded slightly. "That star is the Star of Hope... Normally it comes out in an October sky when it's June isn't it? That's a sign that tells you destiny is at hand... With a team like us there is a hope tonight..." Smasher smiled, and we smiled back. "Let's go!" Clarice called, but then we noticed something. Joey was in his boxers, I had my pj's on ditto with Clarice, and Abe already had his jeans and a T-shirt on. I ran to my house and when I entered I saw Petunia quietly sitting on the dining room floor. "Your going aren't you?" She whispered, somehow knowing everything. "Yeah, but I'll be back... I promise." I smiled, and crept back in my room. I grabbed a backpack, food from the kitchen that wouldn't spoil like canned goods, a couple of pairs of clothes, a water bottle, and I put on some socks and shoes.

"I think I've packed wisely." I sighed aloud, and grabbed the necklace Joey had given me. I put it on quickly and snuck out the door... Well, almost. "Katerina?" My mom asked, seeing me ready to leave. "Yeah, look Mom I have no time to explain really... I'll be back okay? Bye." I said, and darted out the door even as she told me to "come back this instant!" I met up with them in the same spot we saved Lance at and left from there. "My mom saw me leave." I told them, and Joey looked over seriously. "They're going to have police reports all over the town for us." Abe insisted, but I already figured that. "Then we'll just have to lay low." Lance said, leading the group next to me. "Yeah, hey I'm tired." Joey yawned, but no one stopped. "So Lance, you seem to know a lot about the Monster World... I like that." I smiled, and Joey went red again, probably from jealousy. "Really, I admire your courage, I wish I could be like you.." He insisted, and I smiled over at him. But I knew I could never like someone who use to work for Nichiro for it was a lie that he was under his spell... I remembered his evil ways, he just had a change of heart that Nichiro didn't like.

The night seemed never ending without sleep and I slowly fell back in the group as I every one in a while closed my eyes and ran into a tree. "Um, Katerina stay awake." Joey laughed, and I jerked them open slightly. "Well, I'm just tired, that's all." I sighed, and saw Mac once again at my heel. "Where are we?" Mac asked to the group. "We're not even close to half way through the forest yet... Just don't ask." Lance told him, and directed the group farther. "Hey, your wearing my necklace I gave you for your birthday aren't you?" He asked, and I shoved it away. "Yeah, why?" I questioned, nervously. I always have had a crush on him but I never told him. I never felt he liked me back so I didn't want to embarrass myself by confessing. "I think we can rest for tonight." Abe sighed, and took out his sleeping bag. Everyone else did too, all except for me who decided to climb up a nearby little tree. The night wind chilled me even up in the safety of the tree and I shivered.

"Katerina? Is that you up in the tree?" Joey whispered, after everyone was asleep. "Yeah, w-why?" I asked, and he climbed up with me. "Well, isn't it cold to you?" He questioned, and sat down with me. "K-kinda." I admitted, and shivered. "Here have my coat." He smiled, and wrapped it around of me. I smiled and sighed as the warmth if the coat lulled me to sleep... The funny thing was though that it was in Joey's arms that I fell asleep in. But I for once didn't mind.

When I woke up I was on the ground in Joey's sleeping bag while he was asleep in his coat. I smiled, maybe he DID like me after all. "Everyone wake up! We're going on now!" Lance roared, awaking everyone up in a fury. "Grrr, I almost got five hours of sleep." Pixie complained, getting up immediately to check her nails. "Eew, dirt!" She insisted, and I rolled my eyes. "Get use to it." Abe sighed, yawning and packing up his stuff. I rolled up Joey's sleeping bag and went over and gave it back to him. "Um, thanks that was really sweet of you." I admitted, and he smiled and took it. "That's the least I could do.. I believe I gave this to you." He smiled, and gave back his jacket to me. I took it and folded it into my backpack. I grabbed a snickers bar and split it with him... Maybe it wouldn't be that bad being stuck in this journey.

"It's getting warmer." Orion noticed, happy that the sun was slowly coming up after an hour of nothing but walking in the silent dark. "I wonder, was my Mom telling the truth..." I pondered, remembering the Pheonix tale. "About what?" Joey questioned, looking at me. I turned to him and responded. "She told me she had seen the Pheonix in the Cave of Fate." I said, and Lance glanced back slightly and can back with us. "You know Katerina, the thing that amazes me is that your family is so awesome." Lance sighed, but I that only saddened me. "Not really, my dad left me when I was five and never came back... He was on a quest to find a --Oh what was it?" I asked, aloud. Thinking really hard. And then I remembered the picture he use to show me... It was of a golden staff... "The Golden Staff of Orion." I said, and Orion stood tall laughing. "Not you Orion, but he was of your kind... It was that very staff that possessed the power to banish evil." I said, and Lance got close. "Your very smart too." He said dreamily, but I stepped that much away. I lifted Mac up and walked away. Disappointed he went back up to the front.

"He's flirting..." I coughed, and Joey snickered. "Good, at least you don't fall for that fake love he was trying to get you into." He said, but I had a comeback just for him. "And I'm sure you know all about it." I smarted off, and walked up near the middle of the small group. Ouch, was that harsh or what? But then it didn't seem so cool anymore. I guess it was my way of testing if he was really true hearted... Though I already felt he really was. "Food." Clarice grumbled, and took out a Payday candy bar. I looked back at Joey as he stared at the dirt. And in came my consciences. "Come on Katerina, he gave you his coat, looked into your eyes, and let you sleep in his sleeping bag while laid out miserable." The angel conscience said, but in came the other one. "Oh, COME ON! Show him your no prissy little girl, punch him with all your verbal assaults ya got and don't give in!" The devil conscience insisted, and it really confused me. "You know you could leave me alone..." I offered, and everyone turned to see me talking to myself. They all shrugged and walked on thinking I was really odd... But of course I was. 

After a couple hours the only news was Lance telling us it would be at least another day of walking unless we journeyed through the night... Guess what he picked for us? Yep, we get to walk all night and not even get an hour of sleep until we make it. "Now, about that kiss I wanted..." Lance hinted, and I slapped him. "How about not on my life okay? Haven't I made it clear? Your our director to this Golem place and that's all you'll be! I like someone else." I crowed, and stormed to the back of the group angrily. "Grrr, the nerve of some people." I growled, as Mac followed. "Yeah, I agree." Joey said, and I knew why. Even after all these hours he was still sour about that remark I had made. "Look I'm sorry okay? I just needed to know if you... Oh, forget it it'll never happen!" I cried, once again talking to myself. "Oh, come on Katerina look at him he's hot! Say you love him admit it!" The angel conscience insisted, but in came hot head. "Don't listen to that harp headed nincompoop listen ta me. Kiss him danget get-" The devil conscience started, but I whacked him off my shoulder. "This story is suppose to be PG for god sake not rated X!" I shouted, and Joey backed up a bit. 

"Who are you talking to Katerina?" Abe asked, and when I shrugged they went back to walking. "Okay, that was quite odd... Moving on." Joey laughed, and I thought he forgot what I had said. "Now what did you say about if I was-what? He asked, and I took in a deep breath. "I- I guess I wanted to know if you like me." I admitted, but I don't think he got the point. "I've always liked you." Joey said, but he said as a friend. "No, I mean like, like... You know boyfriend-" I started, but he interrupted. "And g-girlfriend... I-I don't know." He insisted, and kept silent for that day... Was it still going to be the power of eight? As we neared the Golem's home we weren't sure ourselves whether or not they were still going to be there... Possibly, were we too late?


	2. Valley's Virtue

Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the trademarks....

Chapter 1: Valleys Virtue

We continued as we finally, at two o'clock, reached the clearing of the trees that would lead us to the Golems. "Katerina, I have a question for you. I thought the Phoenix that Ganki released never saved anyone? Wasn't that in the history book?" Joey asked, for once talking to me. "Yeah, but I don't think it was real. I believe that Ganki found a replica that thought it could revive the lost disks... I bet my mom saw the replica in that cave and didn't journey far enough to actually retrieve the real disk." I concluded, now talking to Mac. And the we saw Golem's Valley in the distance.

"The Golems are such a great guardian to our town that they named the forest and this valley after them." Lance said smartly, and I gazed at the phenomenal distant mountains that came after the valley. "The mountains ahead contain pieces of the Hengar doll... It's said that if you complete the doll you'll make a really strong monster." Joey responded, obviously trying to show off his knowledge too. "Hey, through that clearing! It's the Valley where my brothers are!" Smasher cried, and he ran forward. The ground trembled as we followed behind him in hope we would find the Golems in time. 

But when we reached it, it was barren. And I'm not just talking about the land. "Titan? Earthquake? Smasher called, but all he heard was silence. "Haha, too late! I knew Lance would be a day late out of schedule and now the Golems of the Valley are mine! Attack fellow Naga's break and bend them to their will!" Nichiro smiled evilly, and behind his cat eyes came many more. "No backing away now! This is our destiny now, we're here to stop you Nichiro!" I cheered, and Smasher came first. "Brow Hit!" He roared, knocking some of them back. "WhirlBlow!" a Naga cried, and spun in the air against Mac! But he was turning the opposite way and he was to young to take that good of an attack! "Mac, watch out!" I crowed, and dived in front of him.

It stung, the full impact of the attack does that to you. Especially on your side, and that great of an attack on top of it all. Of course, being weak and clumsy I fell down onto the hard dirt. Even as my face scraped the ground I didn't stay there long. "Katerina!" Joey called, but I already stood up to see Mac okay. "You saved me?" Mac asked, and smiled. "I think it's time that I fight back though." Mac sighed, and I didn't stop him. "Eye Beam!" Suezo called, and knocked back an unaware Naga. "Thunder!" Pixie cried, and lit up the night... Or should I say early morning. "Here's for my Master, Punch!" Mac roared, angered that I was harmed. It barely hurt the nearest Naga and it turned to face him. "I'll use my special attack! Kick!" I smiled, and there went another lost disk. I gave Mac a high five and the struggle continued.

"Cyclone! Stay low friends, get back!" Smasher insisted, and he departed himself to create the awesome Golem attack. I curled myself down into a small ball to avoid possible uprooted dirt. "Aaah, Katerina it's too strong I can't stay in one place!" Mac called, and I had to expose my eyes to see him. It really did look like a tornado... Nothing less then one. I grabbed Mac and held onto him, the little dino cowered back with me and I once again closed my eyes.

After Golem's attack was finished we opened our eyes to see nothing. Nothing but sadness... Lost disks were everywhere like the rein of Moo. And Nichiro was gone with the Golems of the Valley. "We, we didn't win?" Golem asked, seeing only the turned dirt and the night sky. "No, Nichiro the rat got away with the Golems and left his friends here to die." Clarice concluded, and we all sighed. "I guess we'll sleep on it for now." Lance concluded, and I felt the tremble of my starving stomach. "What about food?" I asked, and pulled out a huge can of vegetable soup. "Great, what about a pan or bowls or anything?" Abe insisted, and that's what I had forgotten. "Um, not really. I think that's what I forgot for the trip..." I sighed, and was about to put it back.. "I brought spoons...For all of us and some bowls." Lance insisted, and opened up his pack. We smiled for a little but then it faded. "Pan or anything to cook it in?" Clarice asked, but he shook his head. "Why not, we're stuck out here with a limited amount of food and the Sherlocks here can't even cook it. Are we going to die?" I asked, sarcastically. "Yeah, either that or starve." Joey answered, and Lance handed out bowls. "Let's just put it this way... We're not the best at last minute packing to stop an evil Naga from ruling the world." Abe laughed, and I slightly chuckled. "Abe, that will become funny only when we're home safe and the Naga doesn't end up on every school uniform." Joey sneered, and we actually at the cold nasty soup.

"Why for some reason does this taste like tofu?" Clarice gagged, and I choked on mine too. "Op, I forgot, my mom put her tofu in the soup can... Sorry!" I insisted, and everyone turned to me. "Can I strangle her now?" Lance asked. "No that would be to nice..." Pixie growled, and stood up. "Okay settle down... Katerina had good intentions by bringing all that stuff. Or would you have preferred nothing at all and starving?" Joey questioned, and everyone calmed down. "Saved my neck again..." I whispered, to Joey when everyone was getting ready for bed. "Hey. I'm there for you Katerina... Though it seems your fully capable of taking care of yourself." He sighed, and I rubbed the scratch on my cheek from falling. "You never know Joey." I admitted, and got out my coat to go to bed. "Night Joey, I hope you feel the same way I do about you." I added, and fell right to sleep. "Don't worry, I do." I had no idea though what he said or how long this once short journey would prolong. 

In the morning there came a relief from an ever growing fear of power. The birds chirping merrily in a forest tree was one of those tension releasers. I smiled up at them. "Even as the enemy grows greater we cannot for get the wonders and beauty that we are here to preserve... So many soldiers have forgotten their places, that only leads to hate and spite... Never forget the reason for this endless fight Katerina. We are fighting for the everlasting flame of the True Phoenix." Smasher smiled down at me, and I swore I saw a tear drop from his stone eyes. "You-you think tha-" I started, beginning to believe my theory was correct. "Don't put hopes in that head like Ganki did... It only lead to silence. If the legend isn't true after we found the real Phoenix then we will fight the evil with our own power... Love, never forget what we truly had all along." He sighed and Lance broke Smasher's wise silence. "Alright everyone we're going to pick up the pace so we won't be behind anymore... We have to stop him!" He cheered, and we all sighed heavily.

"Back to the living treadmill people." Clarice said, and we nodded. "No joke." Pixie said seriously. "From here on the sun will begin to get more intense but we won't back down... Ganki and Holly never did so we won't either." Lance panted, lonely. "What about teamwork? Huh, what about the bond with the team you forgot that! If your a real leader then you should at least give us a pep talk!? Or did you not even consider that? Was only glory on your mind Lance?" I griped, and he flinched. "Okay, miss leader know it all. You lead the group! I'm sure you'll be able to find the way through this entire valley by your knowledge... Wait your mommy would never let you journey this far past the woods huh?" Lance stormed, getting meaner. "Your mother wouldn't let you either your just a delinquent that feels he should begin his own legend... Well reality check! You just set free the new Moo! Congrats should we make a card for your graduation of stupidity?" I roared back, and he shut up.

"Okay, from here on we need to assign jobs for each of us so we can be organized... I'm the cook, when or if we reach a town we will get some more equipment for food and water bottles." I noted, and Lance snipped, "Oh, if? You sound the bearer of bad news not a leader? And what money have you stowed away to buy equipment?" "Well, for one thing the first part of being a leader is telling the truth and when we reach a town they're more then likely to have a stadium for battling..." I said smartly. "Oh, and stadiums help?" He fought back. "We can win money!" Joey insisted, standing up for me. "Of course the way you were living you probably stole it so you never realized that huh?" I snapped, and I heard that wonderful silence again where he's out numbered.

"Okay, as I was saying... Abe and Clarice are the scouts who go out and see what's ahead if something looks dangerous. Joey and I, when we get money that is will collect firewood." I concluded, and Lance once again stepped in. "And what am I?" He asked, impatiently. "Um, you'll be...The guy who refills our water bottles if we run into any springs and stuff.. Congratulations!" I laughed, and he sneered at me hatefully. Good, now I got one guy off my back... I just can't get one of them off my mind... Joey. Sigh. "There you go again girl... Dreaming of that boy, ask him already!" The angel conscience insisted, and I slightly smiled. "Nah, don't listen to that bozo, go for that Lance guy... He looks like a real-" The demon conscience started. "AS-Oops... BUTT! G rated books...Yeesh." The angel said, and they both disappeared. "How was that suppose to help me?" I crowed aloud, and everyone stared at me again. "Haha, your so called leaders a nutcase." Lance cackled, he was getting on my nerves....

Three hours later we were forced to sing row, row, row your boat thanks to the impatient Orion. "Oh, come on it's fun! Row, row-" He started, but Joey zipped him up by putting his hand on his mouth. "You know, if you weren't so annoying people might like you better Orion." Mac insisted, and I smiled. "What's for lunch?" Pixie asked, and we turned to her to respond all the same thing. "It's 10:30!" We crowed, and she backed up. "Okay, yeesh I was just hungry." Pixie whined, and we started to see the mountains still in the distance. "How about chess?" Orion asked, after Joey had gotten tired of holding his mouth shut. "Hah, with what board do you have?" Clarice laughed, and there was silence. "Someone remind me to buy masking tape to zip Orion up permanently." Joey chuckled, and he came up with me.

"I must admit your a pretty good leader for us..." Joey smiled and I looked over at him happily. "Really?" I asked, and he nodded. "Boo, make this stop! Mushy stuff stinks!" Lance booed, and Clarice smacked him for the group. "Your probably better then me at being a leader." I admitted, but he was persistent. "No, your really great I-" He started, but something told him in my eyes something no one else say. Our lips got close... "Watch out!" Abe cried, and shoved everyone down. "Sorry to ruin the moment but we have an attacker!" He apologized, and I looked up to see a huge dragon. "Whoa! I thought this was the Valley of the Golem! Not the dragon?!" I insisted, and looked up and then back at Joey now that all of us were sprawled against the ground. "My nails!" Pixie cried. "She just doesn't get it..." Abe sighed, and in came another dragon, this time black in comparison to green. 

"We're doomed!" Orion yelped. "Thanks for supporting the team Orion." I sneered, and I got up. "Get down Katerina! Your a sitting duck out there!" Joey cried, but I stayed standing. "No I'm not! I'm not going to stand still!" I yelled, as another one swooped after me. I ran from it and when it came close I dived down on the dirt and it did a circle to come back as another came from the other direction. "Okay, maybe it won't work as I planned!" I whined, and Joey tried to come after me. "Katerina!" He cried, but a red dragon grabbed me in it's talons and there I went... Not sure whether I would live or not.


	3. The Power to Change

Disclaimer: Just like I told you before, I don't own these trademarks!

Chapter 2: The Power to Change

I was lifted, and not just an inch... More like a hundred feet up into the air. "Katerina!" Joey yelled in the distance. "Master!" Mac crowed, but I was long gone. Not only was I away from my friends I had a terrible fear of heights. "Let me go!" I roared, and squirmed around to get its talons out of my shoulders. "I doubt you want that unless you want to be road kill, minus the road." The dragon chuckled, but I found it not very amusing. "My friends are down there!" I cried, getting an uneasy feeling from flying so fast. "Don't worry... They'll be there soon enough. And don't barf on me you look sick!" He cried, bending his neck in to see my pale face. I cringed and responded, "well, you dragons deserve it! You scared the crap out of us dive-bombing on us like that! And plus, you ruined my moment." I fought, and I was thrown onto land with a thud. Of course, because they love heights I ended up on a flat mountain for some reason! Yikes! "How so did I ruin the "moment"?" He insisted looking at me.

"Joey and I were going to kiss and you messed it all up with your dive-bombing masquerade!" I said, frustrated and then came the pile of friends. "Okay, which one of these humans?" He chuckled, and picked up Abe. "No, doesn't he seem a little bit to old?" I questioned, and he dropped him to pick up Joey. "Yeah, him." I sighed, and he dropped him in front of me. "The names Talon, she told me I messed up you "moment"." Talon laughed and shoved Joey into me. "Ouch! Whoa, look t-that moment when we w-were- I didn't mean it." Joey cried, and backed into Talon. "I smell a liar Talon." The pink female dragon laughed, and Joey turned to face her. "Same here Jewel. Don't have the guts to fess up to a pretty girl, do you?" Talon asked, and Joey jolted to face him. "Alright match makers, I think that will be enough torturing those poor humans." A dragon sighed, he was jet black. "The names Jet, and this is my troop... I know it's not much of a troop but that was before our original leader, Falcon passed away because of Moo. He never came back either... We put so much hope into that Pheonix that we gave up faith in who we were..." He admitted, and I realized something.

Maybe there is no replica, maybe it is the real thing that has lost its guardian deity. Because of the hate and the hope couldn't combine to create the Phoenix's true purpose. "I brought you all here because one of you I feel has the power to change the fate of this land." He looked Joey straight in the eyes and I lost hope that for once I could be the hero. "What about Katerina?" Mac asked seeing my downward glancing eyes. "I-I don't see anything in her... She has quite a heart though." Jet sighed, and continued to talk about the so called "Almighty Joey" again.

An hour later I had had enough of it. "We need to go! Now!" I stormed, right after he finished telling about how the world would be doomed without him. "Listen, I know your always wanting to be the hero or whatever but this is my turn." Joey insisted. "Your turn? Your-turn? It's always been your turn Joe. Joey this, Joey that, Joey's so wonderful, look how well he writes poems... Grr, it's always you! And really I just wanted to save the world!" I growled. "See, you want the spotlight." He said stubbornly. "Yeah, that's it Joey... No! Actually, do you really want to know why I want to save the world? Because I love you!!!" I roared, and all eyes turned to me. "You-you've always been jealous of something Joey.. And that's what keeps us apart. I guess it was a good thing we got dive-bombed right then..." I sighed, and he responded, "Why?" "Because you don't understand... And you're older then me." I finished, and he didn't respond after that. "Okay, if it's alright my troop will help you through part of this valley... Two on one only. Kristin and Joey will ride me." Jet responded, and I cringed. "You're asking for a 24/7 altercation between them two if you ask me." Talon sighed, but Jet didn't seem to care.

"Katerina was right you know Joey... About what sets you two apart." Jet sighed, after we had taken off into the air. I glared at Joey just then and he looked back with soft eyes. "I think you two should soften up... Ganki and his crew learned how to cooperate." He continued, as silence prevailed. "Yeah, but did Ganki help the Phoenix win? No, I bet if they would have let it have their true hearts the world wouldn't have end up this way. We would live in a more prosperous world then this one." I fought, knowing I was right. "Hey, you're pretty smart there girl... I guess Joey never realized that before." Jet said, and Joey didn't respond to any of it. I looked back over at him with more soft eyes but he was looking the other way... His short black hair swayed slightly from the speed of Jet's flight. "I'm sorry, you know- if I was too harsh on you about anything... It's just that, I've never had a turn to be anyone and I felt this was my chance... I shouldn't have let greed surround me." I admitted, and he turned to me. "Me too, I-I don't know what overcame me Katerina. I've known you for a long time and it was wrong of me to come down on you like that... You-you really love me?" He persisted, and I half smiled and nodded.

"Where's the monsters Jet?" I asked, and he pointed over next to us. Smasher got his own individual ride because he was so huge. "Glad we got that settled, did I ever tell you I think you're amazing?" Joey asked, and I shook my head. "No, but you better not start acting like Lance or I'll have to refresh your memory..." I smiled. "How would you do that?" He questioned, but I think he knew what I ment. I kissed him just then, you know on the lips and when I let go he pushed forward trying not to end it. It was sooooo cool! I've always had a crush on him and now I felt it was vise versa. And now he had no way of denying it! Because right next to us on both sides were our friends!

After that the flight scenery had begun to get quite dull. "From here on is the Mountains of Memory... The great battles against Moo was won and lost here. It's a place of roaming spirits and everlasting regrets... We, as a team, do not wish to take you any further. Good luck brave warriors if you wish to precede. All the best for you!" Jet sighed, and they flew off leaving us in front of a barren wasteland of bones, ashes, and swords and weapons. "No wonder they didn't want to go any farther, it's horrible..." Orion coughed, as the wind blew ashes in his mouth. I- I feel a strange presence here... I believe our dragon friends were right." I shivered, as a chill all of a sudden came by without even a breeze. "I'm cold." Mac complained. "I don't blame you... So am I." Pixie chilled, and folded her arms. "Possibly, could those wondering spirits- Oh, no!" I whined, and in came just what I had expected. "Ha, ha, ha, your smarter then you look er- Katerina! I know your name because I can read your memory... Oh, how shattered it is." An evil Gali laughed, finding his powers quite amusing. "I am neither good nor bad, and I am neither weak nor powerful... For I am but a ghost of a Gali." He sighed, and looked up at the now black clouded sky. "Poor Ganki could not revive us." He sighed, and questions began to bubble. "Who is us?" Clarice asked, but I knew the reply would scare us.

Out came millions of the lost warriors, they were all scared and tattered and torn lost monsters. I felt remorse from them that was so great I again felt that in this mountain lies the reason the Phoenix could not revive them. "Listen to us, all of you... You are the reason the Phoenix has lost it's power... Your full of spiteful regrets! You need to let it all go and believe again no matter how long you have to wait... We are here to save you!" I cried, and they looked at one another. "No, only Ganki had the gift." Gali insisted, and they all began to yell and shout at one another in protest. "That's wrong..." Abe replied, and Gali turned to us once again. "How so?" He questioned, and I responded.

"Because existing in all of us is a light... And that light has faded in all of making the radiant Phoenix's flame glow dimmer and dimmer until none of you could be revitalized. You must believe in that forever... Without it we will all fail." I said, wisely and I felt Joey's hand on my shoulder. "She for once, is right." Said a gray Tiger. "I am Grey Wolf... So many years ago my brother Tiger was forced to kill me because he loved me so much... I had been shrouded in the mist of evil and with that veil I could not proceed to believe in my brothers abilities." He sighed, and looked at the ground. "Don't give up now! I know it's been a long time since anyone has been willing to sacrifice everything to bring you back but we are here! I know it's not much of a pep talk but you must help us... The Phoenix is still out there, he's waiting for you- all of you great and small." Clarice declared, and there came a cheering from the once gloomy millions of lost disks.

And then, it happened, something really unexpected. The necklace that Joey gave to me lifted itself up and all the lost monsters became a bright shining ball of light. "Huh, what's happening?" I gasp, and they responded all at once. "We were reminded of the love we use to all have inside of us thanks to all of you... And as thanks we give you our faith..." They said, and it gathered in the rectangular crystal necklace just like that.

As we all stared in awe the black clouds disintegrated and it all the way returned to the way it once was... So long ago. "We DO have the power to change the fate of this land!" Joey declared, and I saw Lance cringe. "I'm so glad to be the follower." He croaked. "You are so welcome... Wannna doggie treat Mr. Lance?" I laughed, and he gave me a disgusted look while the group laughed. "So now I think we've all realized that it's not just one of us that will change the fate of this land... It's the team that will preserve." Abe said, and I felt Mac rub his face up against my leg. "Your growing a little bit everyday Mac." I smiled down at him. "And so are you.. In your heart." Mac smiled up at me, and I knew we'd both be best friends... Forever. 


	4. Tough Tournaments

Disclaimer: I do not own these trademarks okay?!

Chapter 4: Tough Tournaments

That night I woke up... And this time it wasn't from a baddy. In fact, I wasn't sure why I woke up at all. I walked over to the pond and sat down with my hands around my knees and looking out at the sparkling water. That was really kind of that guy we didn't even know to let us stop and rest here for the night. "You can't sleep either?" Hank sighed, and sat next to me. "I was just thinking I guess." I answered, and looked over at the old but wise man. "I've always had a dream..." He admitted, and looked over at me. I nodded and he continued. "You see along time ago my wife and I use to live here with our spot dino that this young boy had given us... But Moo raided our home and killed my wife and monster. You and your bond with that spot dino reminded me of my own... In my old age it is futile that I will ever be able to change the past." He sighed, as if looking for my guidance. "You don't have to worry anymore... We're here to find the Phoenix and revive the lost monsters!" I insisted, but he shook his head. "Ganki tried that but even his courage did not preserve." He said, and looked up at the stars. "No, this necklace has the faith of the lost monsters and with it the Phoenix's power will be revived along with the monsters." I said, hoping it would show him how much I cared for the past.

"No, we all must move on and forget what is gone..." He cried, and refused to believe in my childish none sense. "No, because if we forget what is gone our love for what we lost will die and so will the Phoenix." I cried back. "The Phoenix was already dead to start with all it caused was pain and disappointment to the world. It had no power to start with." Hank crowed, thinking his point had been clear. "No, the only reason why the Phoenix lost its gift was because of people like you! People like you that after a loved one died shriveled up and became stubborn! You must believe before it can happen... That's what miracles are all about. Ganki understood that, I just don't see why you are that blind." I cried, and got up and went back to where everyone was fast asleep. I recited a line I taught myself, " There is no battle that can truly be won... There is always some kind of pain that can never be washed away." And I curled up next to Mac again and fell back to asleep.

In the morning came the silence that even softened Orion's usual hyper attitude. "Hey, where's Hank?" Abe wondered, after we had knocked on his door. "Go in quick!" I insisted, and opened the door and ran to his room. The poor old man lay there barely breathing. "Hank?" I asked, standing next to his bed. "Look I'm sorry about saying all that last night... Maybe I was wrong to-"  
I started, but his soft voice quieted me. "No, it was I that was wrong. The wisdom you hold is far greater then I ever realized. If you are the leader of this team you will preserve. The faith of the monsters is sure to aid you in your quest... But it looks as if I shall not be around anymore... I am weak and it is up to you to save our Turner." Hank coughed, and I almost began to cry. I took out my crystal and looked at it. Again the mysterious colors glowed in it. "Katerina, I give you my faith for all the lost monsters to one be revitalized." He sighed, and then he was gone.

His faith became part of my crystal and I put in my pocket still not quite sure why I could have the power to keep such a thing. "I guess that's why I got cold under that coat you were talking to him." Mac realized, and I nodded. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep last night so I sat by the pond and Hank came down and we talked... That's all I want to say. Let's move on, I think he has a map that... Oh, there it is! Don't worry, he would have wanted us to get to the Phoenix as fast as possible." I half smiled, and took the map outside with the group following silently. "Alright, I think the closest town would be Riana... They have there own stadium so let's go win some money!" I called, as they smiled and moved on. As they slowly, as the day progressed, forgot about Hank he was never forgotten for me. I took out my crystal and smiled. Because he'd always be right here with me like family.

"Only about an hour now until we- Orion what are you doing?" I asked, looking at Orion who was picking flowers in a small meadow we were passing through in the mountains. "Here we all know Joey and you are going to get married to the bride...Sniff, I'm so happy." Orion laughed, and threw all the flowers over my head and everyone laughed along with him. "If I didn't know you as well as I do I would chase you around until your face was imprinted on the grass as a memorial." I insisted, and Joey came over to chat with me again. "Once again I will say it is only about an hour until we reach this town." I announced, as Orion slipped a flower in Joey's hair and began cackling at him. I began giggling and he threw his arms up. "What's so funny?" He blurted, and I pointed to his hair as Clarice and Abe caught on. 

He searched around his hair until he found it and threw it down and glared at Orion. But I just couldn't stop laughing. "It's not that funny Katerina... I mean you have like five flowers in your hair." He insisted. "Yeah, but it's not as funny as you with a pretty pink flower sticking out of your head." I choked, and he to smiled. I took out my hairbrush and combed out all of the knots and ratty stuff in my hair. After I removed the flowers that Orion had thrown in his frenzy of making people laugh there heads off that is. "Practically day four you guys we might make it!" Abe sighed, as Smasher looked around curiously. "Nah, with Katerina the tofu girl we'll fail for sure." Lance growled, and the group gave him an evil look. "Well, we need food you guys so we better hurry up to Riana." I said, ignoring Lance.

It wasn't that awful long before we climbed up a huge hill after all the mountain climbing and looked out at not a town... But a city! "It's huge!" Pixie insisted, as we stared in awe. "Hey I knew we were going to make it." Joey smiled over at me. "But remember our parents probably have the police looking for four missing children, some not quite children and their monsters." Lance sighed. "Well, were not four children... We're five!" I smiled over at Lance and he nodded. "Now lets run down that hill and LIVE!" Orion laughed, and we raced each other down the hill into the city of the punks. 

"Wow, this place really isn't what I had expected..." Pixie crowed, holding her nose. "Oh, come on it's not that bad." Smasher half smiled, trying to lie while one of the people from the city glared at the comment. "E-excuse me miss whe-" I tried to ask where the Stadium was but these people were rude. "Get out of my way!" She roared, and shoved me over. "That was extremely rude." I commented, and Mac nodded. "I guess we'll just have to find out where it is on our own." Joey noticed, seeing it right then and there. "THAT was the stadium? That h-huge center piece in the city is the stadium?" Mac called, and we our mouths dropped open. "Yep kids, that's the Riana Stadium, home of Hercules... The undefeated champion of the arena. No one has ever defeated him." A police man smiled, and tipped his hat to us.

"Hey there are four of you..." He insisted, about to get on his walky-talky. "No, five there's Lance here." I smiled politely. "I heard about those four missing children... It's a sad time sir. Have a nice day." I covered up, and we waved and began to leave. "Um, you too." He said, and we practically began to run away from the danger. "Whew, good cover-up Katerina, he was totally fooled." Joey panted, when we reached the side of the colossus stadium. "Thanks but I think I could have done better." I admitted, and we stood at the gate as a lady chewed gum and read a book titled, "How to Get a Guy". Talk about weird. "Um, we'd like to enter a competition please." Abe asked for us. "Oh, okay... Here are your numbers, the judge will call you accordingly. But it seems your, um, friend has no monster... It will be a five dollar fee to enter to watch the battles." She sighed, and stuck her hand out that stupid hole for the money. Lance half smiled at us for money.

"Here's five bucks now go." Abe laughed, and we went into a secret right entrance where it seemed like a basketball game room. I looked at my number and sighed. "My lucky number... Six." I sighed, and sat down on these bleacher like thing. Outside you could just here the crowd cheer as another battle slowly wheeled to an end. "And with that we will introduce the new challengers... From Team Blue we have..." He called, and a door slide open and we obviously stepped out into the morning light and the brightly lit stadium. "Katerina with Mac, Joey with Orion, Abe with Smasher, and Clarice with Pixie." He said, and moved onto the Yellow Team. "How did he know our names?" I asked. "Magic." Joey laughed, and shrugged. "Now number ones please come forth... One from separate teams. Ah, yes! It will be a battle between Abe with Smasher and Mike with Brighty." He announced, and we wished him good luck. "Ready. Set. Battle!" A girl said on the side lines of the competition. "Brow Hit!" Smasher called, missing the quick Moochi. "Slap!" It cried, and knocked Smasher up against the head. "Ha, Chop!" He called, and knocked Brighty over on its face. "Brighty is unab-" The girl started but the monster did a flip back up. Though its confidence was eternal it looked a little pale. 

"Come on Smasher, bring home some money!" Abe cheered, and Smasher nodded. "W-chop finish you off!" He insisted, and Brighty flew so far back it hit the back of the stadium. "Oh, no Brighty!" Mike called, and ran to the back where he cuddled his monster sadly. "The winner is Abe with Smasher!" The announcer said, exited and Abe came back to our edge of the stadium.

This lasted for quite some time. Joey won, Clarice won, Abe lost the next one against a Naga, and now it was my turn. We had defeated all the opponents on the Yellow team and now it was Blue vs. Blue up until we reach the undefeated one... Hercules. "Alright this is quite different ladies and gentlemen. Now it is up to the Blue to slowly dwindle down to the one who will face Riana's champion... Hercules." The announcer crowed and continued. "Now it is 6 vs. hmm.... Oh, my gosh! Number 5!" He shouted, and Joey came over to the opponents side of the stadium. "I'm not holding back." I said, as Mac and I got ready for the battle of our life. " Neither am I Katerina." He sighed. "Ready. Set. Battle!" The girl called, and Mac got ready. "Eye Beam!" Orion hissed, and Mac knew exactly what to do. He leapt up into the air and called an attack. "Kick!" He shouted, and came down on Orion hard. Orion stumbled back hard and flipped back up again like the Moochi Abe went against. "Tail Slap!" Orion called, and Mac went flying up against the ground of the stadium. "Spit!" He continued to attack and Mac still hadn't got up. "Come on Mac, believe." I sighed, and that pulled him through.

"Bite!" Mac cried, flying back up and surprising Orion. "Orion appears unable to battle! Katerina wins!" The girl cheered, and Joey picked up his Suezo caringly. "Sorry Joey." I apologized, and he smiled. "Hey, it's just a battle don't worry.. No real harm done." He sighed, and my next opponent was Clarice. This continued until at last I was defeated by Smasher. I figured for he was far more experienced then me and he was able to challenge the best of the best... Hercules. Which turned out to be a Jaggernaut that was blue and white. And guess who went on undefeated? Hercules of course being the stronger of the two and we left with five hundred dollars! I got second place and even though I didn't reach the top I was proud of Mac. "You did great Mac!" I cheered, when we had found Lance out of the billions of exiting people. "Thanks, I tried my best." Mac smiled. "That's all I ask friend." I laughed, and we left from there to do some grocery shopping... 


	5. Orion's Staff

Disclaimer: I'm fed up with saying it but I will anyway.... I don't own the trademarks contained in this chapter or in fact any of them! (Haha?)

Chapter 5: Orion's Staff

Shopping was, in a way, complete bedlam! I ran to get water bottles for everyone while Joey went to get new food while Abe got pots and pans for cooking them in. But of course that consisted of practically every kind of soup thinkable. "Um, excuse me miss is this all?" The cashier asked, seeing I was looking over at the grocery store where Joey was. "Oh, yes that'll be all." I sighed, and left with a sack full of water bottles (which looked quite odd in a city like Riana) Soon, well an hour and a half, we were finally done running back and forth like mad people and we were finally ready for an early lunch. "Let's wait to eat until we exit this city... Katerina let me see that map of yours." Lance snapped, and pulled it out of my pocket hastily. "All right if we go this way we'll run into the famous Ruins of Orion." He smiled. "What's so happy about a ruin named after Orion?

"Orion's Staff... The legendary staff with the power to heal. But if it's used by an evil person it has the power to destroy." Joey sighed, and something just didn't seem right about Lances smile...   
"Let's leave at once. There are all kinds of stuff there. Maybe even a hengar doll possibly." He laughed, and we left straight out of Riana. "Hey, wait! You can't go to The Ruins of Orion!" Someone called, and we turned to see a dino with a gold chain around his neck. He looked like a punk to me. "And why not?" Clarice asked, putting her hands on her hips critically. "You need a crew." He insisted. "Don't we already have one." I smiled, but he shook his head. "No, I mean a professional team that knows about the ruin more then you do... But I can provide that. The names Tory, I'm a guide for the Ruins of Orion." Tory smiled, but we all shook our heads. "Sorry, we don't have any money for a team of experts." Abe said, and he nodded sadly. 

Though we left them behind I wasn't really sure if they were truly gone forever. Maybe it was the look that Plant monster on his team gave me. It told me that they weren't going to back down. "Are we far enough away now to eat Lance? I thought Katerina was the leader?" Pixie whined, and Lance stopped the group. "All right then, let's get a small fire started and we'll have the vegetable soup we never got when Katerina was the leader." He snapped, and I glared at him. "Hey, wait up Katerina!" Joey begged, when we left to collect wood for the fire again. "Here, I bought this for your crystal... I think it'll be more fire proof then the old one." He smiled, and handed me a gold chain. "Thanks!" I smiled, and put it on my neck along with the crystal. "Here's some nice firewood. Hey, why did you pick you and I to get the firewood?" He questioned. "Because I knew eventually you would come to your senses and like me." I smiled, and we came back to the group with all the fuel for the fire.

"Light the match and tadda! You have a fire!" Orion laughed, and we began to cook our soup. "Plastic bowls?" I asked, and I was handed nine bowls in which I laid down next to the pan until the soup was finished... Then I placed the, to me, hot liquid in each one and we gobbled it up hungrily. I used my water bottle and generously dumped some of the precious water on the fire to put it out for good. "No more forest fires... Right Katerina?" Orion cackled, and I just nodded. "I guess every group needs a wise guy... And that doesn't pertain to real wisdom." Tory chuckled, and came over to our circle of people and monsters. "Look Tory we told you th-" I started, but his voice rose over mine. "No, I'm not here to stay I just wanted to warn you of something. Rotten fruit stay rotten." He winked and left. "And what does that mean? We didn't buy any fruit?" Smasher chuckled, and we continued to eat until at last we were done.

"About a mile of walking and we should be there." Lance smiled, and licked his lips. "And why are we in such a hurry?" Mac asked, not quite sure why he was acting so strange. "You do know that this is just a legend about Orion's Staff and that it might not be TRUE." Clarice insisted, but he seemed not to notice. At this point in time I didn't understand what Tory meant by, "Rotten fruit stays rotten..." But I was soon to find out that exact definition. "Hey look at that old ancient ruin in the distance!" Pixie noticed, and Lance smiled and made the group run as fast as we could. "What's the hurry? Aren't we after Nichiro and the Phoenix?" I asked, as we panted at the gloomy ruin entrance. "Let's go in!" Lance smiled. "How about we relax? We're already dead tired from running pretty much the whole way here." Abe insisted, and leaned up against the side of the ruins. 

"Fine, I'll go in on my own." He snipped, taking out a lantern he had bought and lighting with a match. "No, I'm going in with you." I said, not completely trusting him anymore. "Okay, that's fine with me." He smiled, and we left into the ruin while the group got back their strength. "Aah, there it is." He laughed evilly, and put the lantern up to the inscription. "The days go by quickly now; it seems life itself is at hand. Inside this temple is the Orion's Staff... To help end the evils rein over this planet and help set the Phoenix free. But the Staff is powerless withou-" He read but stopped because the words were so old it had faded. Lance slammed his fist up against the wall and pulled me deeper inside the ruin. "Hey, shouldn't we wait for the others?" I questioned, as he forced his way through cobwebs and mold. I stopped and looked back at the way out as it grew dimmer and dimmer to see. "Come on let's go!" He roared. "No, the group will be coming soon; I'm going to wait here." I said, stopping. Now he was getting pushy. He grabbed my hand and began pulling me farther into the cave. "LET ME GO!" I roared, and the group had to have heard. "Fine, you can go!" He growled, and pulled out a knife. "Let her go!" Joey called, and there was the group. "Hahaha. Fools, do you really think I would have ever had wanted to stop the evil? Why I want to start it!" Lance crowed, and stabbed me in the arm, leaving the knife there. "Aah!" I cried, in pain and fell down when he let go of my arm and went after Orion's Staff.

"We have to stop him!" I whined, to weak to even pull out the knife in my arm. "Oh, Katerina... What have we gotten into?" Joey sighed, "We should have never have gone on this journey I-" He started but I slapped him softly. "You're overreacting again Joey." I said, and he nodded. "Okay, we have to stop him!" I insisted, but the pain in my arm reminded me of what he can do. "Well, first we'll have to bandage up your arm." Abe noticed, and I winced.

"Hey you guys... I finally realized what Tory meant by rotten fruit stay rotten. Lance was originally evil so that's mostly the way people stay when there like that." I sighed, after I had a cast on my arm. "Then let's go!" Mac smiled, as we used up a match to light our own way. "Hey, wait for us!" Tory's gang smiled, and we turned to see Tory and three other members. "No charge now... It's on us." The Plant monster winked at me and we turned to continue our new destiny. "He's after Orion's Staff to destroy the world and obviously rule it." Pixie said, and we all nodded and began to run. "We know this place head to toe..." Tory insisted, and came to the front of the group. "Then you know where Orion's Staff is?" Joey asked, and he nodded in the light of one wimpy match. "The why didn't you claim it for yourselves before us?" I asked, knowing how greedy most people are. "We were waiting for you miss." The Plant monster bowed, and I was shocked. "That necklace Joey gave you is legendary and was going to be given to you anyway by destiny." Tory said, and I started to laugh. "No, that's not possible, I'm not destined for anything. Really, it's just a normal necklace Joey got for me for my birthday... How did you know Joey got it for me?" I asked, and looked at Tory while we continued to run. "Because he bought you a new chain for it and it's kind of obvious he likes you." A Moochi chuckled, and even in the dark I knew he was blushing again.

"Hey, there's a light in the next room, that has to be Lance!" Clarice called, and went through first. I had become a little slower then I had expected but I went as fast as I could. When we got to the light though, it was a whole different story. "Ha, ha, ha. Fools! I have the staff and you little wimps couldn't get it from me." Nichiro cackled, and out of no where Lance knocked him over making the staff go flying. "Someone catch it!" I roared, knowing I was to slow at the moment to catch the fragile staff. So Joey went after it instead. Inches from the ground Joey just barely caught it in his hands right before it hit the ground. "Go Joey!" Abe cheered, and Tory stood forth against Nichiro. "You're a fool Tory... You actually believe you can beat me?" Nichiro laughed, but he saw through that line.

"Yeah because guess who has the staff?" Joey smiled, and stood up with it in one hand. "Joey watch out!" I cried, but it was too late. Lance swiped the staff right from him and he smiled menacingly. "Now there's nothing you can do!" He cackled. "I'm sure, Ishabi try to attack him." Tory sighed, to the Plant monster. "Grrrr, stay back!" Lance growled, but Ishabi got even closer. "S-stay away stupid plant thingy or you'll be cooked cabbage." He flinched. "Oh, give me a break, it's not the Trident, what do I look like a mermaid?" Ishabi chuckled, as he pointed it at Ishabi and nothing happened. "Give me that!" Nichiro roared, but again neither of them caught it and it slide over to me. "Give me that you little brat!" Lance insisted, and reached his hand out from a distance. "Ha, you? Why would I give you THE Orion's Staff to a slime ball like you? Oh, and you'll never get that kiss." I coughed, and I for once observed the staff. It was gold with a mantle piece as if something was suppose to fit in it. "I get it now!" Nichiro crowed, and shoved Lance off of him with a Thwack attack. 

In a flurry of slender movements Nichiro had me in its claws. "Hand over that staff and no one gets hurt." He insisted. "Oh, yeah right! Even if I let go of it you'll destroy the world! Never you snake!" I cried, as he bent back me bandaged arm. "Aah, stop it!" I cried, the pain getting more intense. "Life isn't fair is it? Just like Ganki's disappointment..." He cackled, and I kicked him. "AAH, stupid girl! You have no idea what kind of power you posses. But yet you'll never find out!" Nichiro roared, and raised his stinger inches from my neck. "Now, give me it or you will never see the light of day again!" He hissed, and put the stinger even closer. That's when I heard a voice inside of me I've never heard before... It was my fathers voice. "Katerina... I'm going away now, but I'll never truly be gone." I took the crystal and put it in the missing mantle piece... It fit perfect! "Crystal Saber maximize!" I cried, and the chain Joey bought for me broke.

"What the heck? That sounds like it's from a Sailor Moon episode or something!?" Nichiro insisted, practically up against the opposite wall from me. "No matter, I now understand that in which I hadn't. I'll never be alone..." I said, and brought the staff forth. "Not only is the staff a healing devise for her, it is also a weapon!" Tory announced, and the team that followed us into the ruins gave each other high fives. "Now what?" I questioned, and put both hands on the holy object. "Say Saber Power Energize and givem what you got... From your heart." Ishabi smiled, and Lance dropped the kerosene lamp on purpose so we couldn't see them anymore. "Oh, how do I use this thing... Oh, what the heck Spiral Fire Light!" I called, and the left over light brightened up the entire rooms by the candles that coincidentally hung on the walls. "Wow, I can do that?" I cried, and they kept back. 

"Grrrr, you don't know how to use that little girl!" Nichiro called, and dived after it while I stood there. I jumped up and slammed it on his head. "Now I do, Crystal Saber Power Energize!" I cried, and the entire thing became crystal! Nice and sparkly! "Oh, no you don't!" Lance backed up Nichiro and grabbed me around the waist and knocked me over. I held it out as far as I could with my good hand. "Aah, nice work Lance... Now it's powered up just for me... I'm out of here! Golem's attack!" Nichiro laughed, and snatched the staff a.k.a. saber and found his way to the exit. But now with attacking Golems and no defense for me... I was in no condition to fight! 


	6. Remember

Disclaimer: Um, I don't own these trademarks!

Chapter 6: Remember

"No! Don't let him get away!" I cried, nearly in tears. If he got away he would destroy our town and all the others. "Katerina!!" Mac crowed, and jumped in front of me as a Golem tried to use it's W-Chop on me. "Mac, no!" I roared, but it was to late. Mac was slammed up against the ancient wall and the candles began to fall as the ruin trembled by the Golems power. "Earthquake? Titan? What are you doing?" Smasher asked, coming to Mac side even as it seemed the ruin would collapse that very moment. But I was already there. "Mac, don't leave me!" I insisted, holding my now halfway grown monster. "Katerina, we have to go! This ruin's going to collapse!" Joey called, pulling on my good arm as I held Mac. "You're going to be okay Mac!" I called, as we ran for our lives. 

As we ran I felt like a coward. Giving up and not even sure whether we won or not... Because I knew we didn't. It was obvious that Nichiro would become all powerful and that we would lose like Ganki did... And cause the pain that he caused, all over again. And there it went, like a ton of ruble it was before it was built... So long ago. "We made it!" Abe sighed, but I knew all ready who didn't. I laid Mac down in the grass as he blankly looked at the original crew and the addition to it. "You'll make it- I believe in you... I'll be waiting." Mac coughed. "No, no you're going to be okay! I-if you just relax, we have the First Aid K-kit..." I stumbled, but though I wanted to deny it all costs I knew that he was not a survivor. "Your light will preserve Katerina... Just like it did, for me. I give you my faith." He pledged, and he became a lost disk. "Mac!!" I cried, and tears filled my eyes until I could no longer see. "K-Katerina... I'm so sorry this happened." Joey apologized. "No, you're not the one who has to feel sorry for me... No one does. I will get him back, all of them... And our team combined with Tory's here will make it!" I called, and stood up. For in my hands was a glowing faith that I knew so well. ""But where is that faith going to be put?" Ishabi asked, but I think I already knew.

It disappeared in my hands and the group gasp. "You lost it didn't you." Tory said, but I shook my head. "No, it's not gone... It can't be, I feel it. It's in my heart Tory. I think that's where all the faith has gone for I feel all of them." I sighed, and looked up at the ever gloomy sky. "We're not going to give up... You have to take the ups and downs." Abe said, and I knew my friends would always be by my side... Forever. I drifted off for a second and came back with a handful of flowers. I put them next to Mac's disk and with that we continued in the direction we were going to go. "What about the saber-er, staff?" Orion asked, and I saw Smasher near the rubble of the left over ruins. "That's not important now... We're on a mission... Right Smasher?" I insisted, and he turned to me. His teary big face nodded and I knew we were going to go the distance.

So we continued the way we had intended for we remembered our true purpose... "The only thing was now we have a problem. We have no back up for an excuse to not be the four missing individuals from Ruby town." I noted, but I saw Tory wink at that. "Well, now your group no longer looks like a band of kids..." Tory smiled. "Yeah, now it looks like a band of hippies and bandits." Pixie chuckled, and I half smiled. "When the going gets tough..." Joey started and the whole group finished it. "The tough gets going!" We cheered and I had a happy feeling jolt up in me. Though sometimes we can be the lousiest airheads I have ever seen we're a pretty good team altogether. "But what about the map?" Clarice asked, and the Moochi came forth. "I have about nine in my pack of this whole land!" He cheered, and we smiled.

Just then rain began to pour down like we were meant to leave right now. "I think that's a sign... Oh, chee, I almost forgot... I'm Zip, chee!!" Obviously the Moochi laughed, and on the road again (if there was one) we went. "The next place from Orion's Ruins is... The ocean? That means dead end." Zip sighed. "Yeah, same here we can't afford a boat... No way!" I cried, and we continued more gloomily then ever... But then I thought of Hank, all his dreams and hopes were set on us, even his faith. And Mac, he wouldn't give up for the world... For his life depends on solely me now. I looked up from the map. "Are we willing to give up that easily? Are we really that stubborn that we give up our faith?! Maybe it's time for my leadership skills to sharpen but we're are not going to stop!" I crowed, and took the map in my hands and walked on. "Shouldn't we find shelter?" Clarice asked, and I turned to her. "And leave Mac and Smasher's brothers sit there with no faith? NO!" I roared, but I kind of felt Katerina was over doing it again.

About three hours later I realized that this was getting retarded. I was forcing the whole team to hate me by dragging them through this storm... Even poor Joey. I stopped right there and looked at the map. "Hey, there's an empty cave to the left a little... Maybe we'll stop there for the night." I offered, and they turned to me miserably. "Oh, how generous." Pixie chilled, and I ran them right through it as thunder began to crackle in the distance. "Um, look you guys I'm sorry I'm being so harsh... It's just-just that... I want Mac back!" I cried, and tears streamed down my already soaked face in the cave. Joey came to my side and I cried into his shoulder sadly. "We understand Katerina." He comforted, as Tory brought out a box of matches and his own firewood. "Wow, you guys are prepared for anything." Abe insisted. "Well, with a nutty bunch like ya'll it's kinda obvious we're ready for anything." The once silent Gel chuckled, and I leaned on Joey and sighed at last.

"I told you, you two are going to get married!" Orion howled, and for the first time I punched him. "Ouch." Orion said, and fell down. "Silence." Pixie sighed, and I laughed. "What's the Gel's name?" I asked, seeing the puddle next to the attempted fire. "Um, yeah... The names None of your business." The Gel howled, and made itself back to normal. "His names Vince, he's just a little bit rude at the moment." Tory said, not sure why Vince was being difficult. I shrugged, it seemed nothing mattered while I was in Joey's arms... I felt safe from anything. Either that or it was intimidation for he was older then I. Probably not though. "Stupid matches are to soaked by that monsoon to work!" Tory roared, and I got up to put down my pack. I looked in the pack to see whether I still had the matches I kept on a normal basis in the pack to start with. "Here are mine... I think they're dry." I assumed, and handed them to Tory. 

"Wow, these actually work!" He cheered, and we had a small bonfire going in no time. "What's for dinner?" Orion asked, after my thwack had worn off. "See Orion, I can use monster attacks too." I smiled. "And what was that?" He asked, and I laughed at the reaction. "Thwack... Also known as a dino Punch or-" I started, but I remembered poor Mac. He use to love that attack. "Need a hug?" Joey asked, but I shook my head and laughed. "Nah, I can't be sad... Mac wouldn't want me to be." I said, more confident in my words then what I felt.

The night came faster then I expected and soon I brought out "the coat". "You still sleep with that?" Clarice laughed, and threw me a sleeping bag she had bought. "Thanks!" I smiled, and got in it immediately after we ate dinner and got everything packed up for tomorrow morning. "We're going to get Mac back Katerina... I promise." Joey insisted, and I smiled. "Though this team is going through some tough changes you can't let it hang on you." Zip sighed, and came over to sit by me. "You're a kind hearted girl Katerina... That I can tell just by being by you and talking with you today." He smiled, and something that Zip said stuck with me. Changes... That's what Ganki went through on his journey. Maybe that's why they never revived Grey Wolf. Tiger had an eternal grudge against Moo that kept him from the true heart he really had... Deep inside.

"Well, goodnight and tomorrow we will not stop until we reach it, the ocean." Tory yawned, and I turned to my side to go to bed at last... It had been a big day. The hardships we go through doesn't make our bonds weaker, it only strengthens them even more. As I slowly fell asleep though I felt it. The presence of the saber, it lingered on in my memory as a weapon of truth to me but a weapon of destruction to Nichiro... Though we were still confident could we truly defeat him with Orion's Staff in his claws?

In the morning we got up with full hope. "Alright crew, let's get back that staff-er, saber or whatever it turned into after Katerina put her necklace in it." Vince sighed, and we all sleepily packed up our things. "Yeah, but here's another question I have, where did Mac's faith go if Nichiro took the crystal?" Ishabi asked, even though he seemed to be the one with all the answers, not questions. "That's a good question... No answer." Tory said, a little confused himself about the Faith that Mac had given us. I yawned and put my backpack back on and got ready to go. "Granola Bar?" Orion asked, already munching on one. "Me!" I cried, and Joey handed everyone one for our little but "okay" breakfast. 

"Wow, we must be pretty fat if the team is feeding us candy bars." Pixie sighed, while chewing on one. "Hey, it's healthy and nutritious and, oh, forget it." Joey laughed, and I smiled over at him. "It's really wet still." Smasher complained, and practically had to trudge through the mud to even move. "I told you it was a monsoon." Tory chuckled, and grabbed one of Zip's maps to check out our location. "Um, Tory we just got on the trail again... Surely we couldn't be that far away." Vince said, smarting off. "I know but maybe there's a bridge to the center of this ocean..." He pondered. "Or closer then the middle." Ishabi hoped. "If I am correct-" Tory began. "In which he usually is." Zip noted. "There's a sea boat rental right next to the Bay of Pirate Suezo's Cove." He finished, and I saw Orion practically do a flip. "What are you related to the Pirate Suezo's or something... Wouldn't surprise me." I said, sarcastically. "No, but there a good friend of mine." Orion insisted. "Can anyone say, free boat ride?" Vince laughed, and we knew that hopefully those pirates would still remember him. Either that or Orion was lying.

"Oh, stupid sun..." Pixie whined, feeling sick from the heat. "Hey, deal with it okay?" I snapped, getting annoyed by her constant complaints. "Okay, sorry Katerina... Yeesh." Pixie sighed, and folded her arms. "I think Katerina is getting grumpy." Zip noted, and I shrugged. "The heat can do that to you... But none of you wants to see me when I'm really ticked off. Trust me." I said, and kept leading the group. "Oh, no I'm so scared." Vince laughed, and I just rolled my eyes. "Well, anyway if our friend Orion comes through we might make it to the Isle of the Phoenix..." Tory said, exciting the group. "That's where the Cavern of Fate is!" I insisted, and Tory checked the map. "That pile of rubble on the map is the once magnificent cave?" Zip asked, and I darted over to check. 

"Looks like someone destroyed it years ago..." He said. "M-maybe that's an old map before the cave got into formation." I said, hopeful. "No way girly, there is no possible way this map could be THAT old and still not crumble up in my hands! It takes a very, very, very long time to form a cave. Plus, this is a current map." Tory insisted. "Then maybe it's somewhere else!" I crowed, refusing to believe my mom's tale was a lie. "Look there is no Cave of Fate anywhere okay? It just isn't on there." Ishabi informed me. "Then your telling me my mothers story is a lie? A fairy tale and that this whole prediction of the Phoenix's power may be just a child's prediction?" I insisted, and they sadly nodded. "I don't believe that map. I refuse to, if I am wrong then so be it but we are still going to go there." I said, stubbornly and lead the group in the same direction to the ocean. 

"Alright, let our stubborn leader lead us to Nichiro so at last we can lose it all." Vince snapped, and I stopped the group. I flung around to stare at him. "Listen Vince, listen very well for this may be something important. If you've lost so many times like I and you feel like giving up would you keep this faith? Huh? Probably not and that's the only reason Ganki lost everything and let this whole world down... Well, I'm not going to let that happen to us, monsters and people alike. We are a team and by being such we will NOT go back to the slave days when either of the sides felt we were equal... Do you want Nichiro to have the whole world chained to a bar and forced back to labor?" I crowed. "No." He whimpered. "Then shut up and let me believe in the prediction no one has ever used!" I roared, and again there was silence from him.

I turned back around and didn't look back. We were going to prove the whole world wrong for by the time the sun set that day we saw it... The beautiful ocean and yet it's unbroken mysteries. I'd prove them the cave was real... I wasn't going to be the one who bails, not now. We were so close to victory.


	7. The Police, Pirates, and the Misplaced K...

Disclaimer: Though it's close to the end of my story I still have to say it, I don't own these trademarks!

Chapter 7: The Police, Pirates, and the Misplaced Kids

At sunset we made it on the coast of the beach and without even arguing once we decided to camp out there for the night. While Tory and Ishabi made the fire I sat on the beach... Looking out at the ocean and wondering whether there really was a Cave of Fate out there. I'd always thought that my mothers tales were true... And finding out that they might not be was something that got me all the way in my heart. "Something wrong?" Someone asked, and I turned to see Zip coming to sit by me. "No, I was just thinking." I sighed, and I saw a wave wash up against my feet. "You know when I was little chee, I had no friends. No human companion or anything. Tory's team is just mostly monster misfits with no one to depend on but themselves." Zip sighed. I looked over at the lonely monster and smiled.

"And when you found our misfit team with no clue of where we were headed you wanted to join up." I figured, and he nodded. "Well, your not lonely anymore Zip." I smiled, and hugged him. "Thanks chee!" Zip smiled, and Joey came by to sit on the other side of me. "Wow, we've sure gone a long way in the amount of time we've had." Joey noted, and I realized that too. "It's because _I'm _the leader." I joked, and he half smiled. "You make it as a joke but your probably right Katerina." Abe said, and sat by Joey. "Really?" I asked, and I thought of all the times I kind of forced them into striving for Riana and to get to the ocean...

"I'm kind of pushy at times." I noted, and they slowly nodded. "But you know us... Sometimes we need a kick in the butt every once in a while." Joey noticed, and one by one the whole crew was sitting by the ocean eating soup... Again. "This soup is delicious!" Ishabi crowed, and in came the stand up comedy. "Not if you've had it as many times as we have." Orion insisted, and we all nodded... Well, except the new group who just licked their lips with satisfaction.

We all stayed up pretty late talking... I felt like a fifteen year old, instead of an over protected thirteen year old. And for once I felt important. They all seemed the key to this adventure and its future. "Hey, I'm retiring from this journey for tonight." Clarice sighed, and left to go to sleep by the fire. "Ditto for me man... I have a headache." Vince said, and left too. And then one by one they left just like they came. "I'll stay up with you Katerina." Zip insisted, and I nodded. "Ditto here." Joey laughed, and he looked over at me and gave me that look. That mysterious look that I like so much. "Um, okay if I may ask you to please stop that... You're scaring me." Zip asked, and Joey looked out at the darkening ocean and we saw them... Maybe ten or twenty dolphins jumping in the distance. "Oh, I want to chase them!" I cried, but I knew how impossible it sounded to him. "Try... I'll save you when you sink." He chuckled, and I stayed right there. 

"Maybe another time..." I mumbled, and my head slowly fell sideways from sleepiness. "Here, I'll lend a shoulder." Joey offered, and scooted closer so my head could rest on his shoulder. "Thanks." I said, and I looked up at the moon. It seemed, at this moment shrouded in mist and gloomy. The stars just didn't shine like they usually do. "Look up at the sky... Doesn't it look funny?" Zip asked, and I had already known that to start with. "Okay, UFO gazers time to go to bed..." Orion sighed, and I turned to see Orion in a nightcap! "What? Oh, come on I like my nightcap!" He crowed, and I laughed my way back to my sleeping bag. He's got a couple of laughs before, but he's never been laughed at!  


In the morning I got up before the sun set. I wanted to see the sun set across the ocean. It was something new that I may never see again... Possibly for two reasons. One, I get killed by Nichiro or I triumph and become famous all of us that is! "Hey your up this early?" Joey asked, seeing that I had already gone down to the side of the ocean again. "Yeah, I wanted to see the sun set." I insisted, and he came and again sat by me... But this time we were alone. "I've heard it's beautiful." I sighed, and put my head in my hands to wait. "Just like you... I guess we really didn't have to come all this way to find the ocean." Joey smiled, and I just shook my head and half smiled. "I wish." I said, and thought about whether it was really worth going across the ocean to the isle crystal less. "Your having doubts about something Katerina..." He said, looking into my eyes. "How-how did you know that?" I questioned, looking back at him. "It's just that blank stare you have that tells me you feel something isn't worth it." He insisted, and I nodded.

"I just don't see how the Phoenix could be saved if I lost the saber and the crystal... Oh, the crystal, your-" I started, but he interrupted. "Don't feel remorse Katerina... It wasn't your fault, don't worry about it... We'll get it back." Joey said, and I looked into his eyes. "We?" I asked, and he nodded. This time I got closer to him and just like the other times our lips met. I think by now we really loved each other. Well, either that or I've lost my mind... Hey, that's possible! "Love birds, it's time to go!" Orion crowed happily and we both saw it. The sun setting across the ocean... But something wasn't right. The colors were all wrong from the description my mom gave me. Instead of the million colors of the horizon it was the one color of blood red! "Whoa, we better hurry, it seems Nichiro has already changed the setting of the sun... It's to close!" Tory roared, and with that we picked up the pace.

We set out for that happy seashore town of Beachora Town... Sadly enough it's crawling with police! It was the first official time I had ever been afraid of the police... But we kind of were running from them at the time. "Hey you guys see that cove?" Orion asked, and as we looked for it we nodded, just to make him happy. "That's where the pirates live!" Orion cried. "Oh, good you lead the way Orion." I said, not sure of where it was still. So he did and it was pretty efficient of a way too. In practically no time we were exactly at the boat of the Suezo Pirates "hideout". Oh, come on just nod your head. "Nails? Captain Nails are you there?" Orion called, into the silent boat. "Arrg, yes what do ya want- Oh, Orion ol buddy." Nails sighed, coming out with a patch on his eye and a bandana on his head... Typical pirate if you ask me.

"Um, we need a ride to Phoenix isle." Zip said, from the back of the group. "Oh, do ya? That'll be fine with me... Just give me-er- a couple of hours er thinkin with me crew... Right laddy?" Nails asked Orion and he nodded. "Hours?" Pixie hissed, once we were a long way away from him. "The sun is practically going to fall on us and all you can say is okay, we'll let the world melt into an infernal nothing!" She roared, and I felt the same way... In fact, we all did. "Look, if we rush things we'll never even get off to that isle by this week okay?!" Orion cried, and hid behind Joey. "Oh, look a cafe!" Vince called, and started running toward it. "STOP!" I called, and he came back glumly. "What? I'm hungry..." He sighed. "Ever heard of the police? Their still after us, when you're on our team it's called caution!" I cried, but it was to late. The donut eating police heard me yelling and came over to check it out.

"We have a problem here?" The policemen asked, and looked at us suspiciously. "Hey, there's four of you..." He noted, and began to talk on his walky-talky. I signaled for them to run in the opposite way they were. "Hey, come back here!" The policeman called, but we didn't stop. We were breaking the law at this time but I only hoped we would make it to the isle and stop Nichiro before he turns the world into his handheld shishcabob. "The ship!" Joey insisted, and we didn't have any other choice but to. "Move the boat Nails... We got the police on our tails." I crowed, busting into his boat. "What did you all do now? Steal something?" Nails asked, ready to set sail. "Worse, we're wanted kids for running away from home... Now go!" Abe called, and poor Smasher who had been silent trudged in the boat scared. "Wow, we have a boatful... Literally!" One of the members said, and pulled the anchor up. I peeked out a window hole and I could just see them coming over a small hill to the boat. "Hurry!" Zip crowed, and just when they thought they had us the boat stirred up and we were outta there! "Yeah!" We all called and gave each other high fives. "Team Tory rules!" Tory smiled. "Good name but I like Team We better." I smiled, thinking of the most absurd name possible. "Oh, yeah... Now we're a combined team." Ishabi pondered. "TEAM WE!" We all yelled, and the crew members of the ship smiled over at us with a look of kindness.

So as you already know we set sail to the isle that, with the suns new tan, looked like a giant ball of fire. "Oh, is this our death mark?" Pixie asked, seeing the almost aflame island. "No, to be technical this is our rebirth mark... The Phoenix has to be there!" I said, and went outside to get away from the heat of so many people in one place. When I got out there on the deck I was relieved. The feel of my hair being blown back from the breeze cooled me down a bit and at last I didn't feel we were completely doomed. "As Mac would always say, "Have faith"." Joey smiled, and came out and put his arm around me. "Yeah, and just for that saying we kept going... We'll never give up, all of us." I smiled, seeing all my friends, and the new ones came out to watch us near the island. 

"Never give up men! Er, women too." Orion crowed, seeing Pixie, Clarice, and I with our critical looks on our faces. "About an hour or so and we'll be there!" Nails called, out a window in the steering room. "YES!" We all yelled...Now true destiny was at hand. 


	8. The Flame of Faith

Disclaimer: I like my ending... Ahem, I don't own the trademarks.

Chapter 8: The Flame of Faith

An hour exactly later the mighty fine crew departed from the S.S. Nails. "Thank you old friend." Orion bowed, and Nails nodded. "T'was only fate that I should help your quest commence. Good luck to all of ya!" He winked, and they left the Island of the Phoenix. "Hey, what's that in the distance?" Joey asked, squinting to see distant speed boats. "That my friends is the police! Looks like more suspense then we expected." Tory called, and we ran farther inland. "Now where's this so called "Cave of Fate" Katerina?" Vince questioned, running with us. "It's left of the Pinnacle of Hope and right from-" I stopped, pointing at the map. I was interrupted though by Joey's hand grabbing mine as he forced me to run. "No time unless you want your journey to end here!" Ishabi called, back as Joey nodded. "I think then the cave should be... Here! Is this it?" Tory asked, smiling at a giant cave. "Good navigating... It shall be your last Tory, my promise." Nichiro laughed, and out came Lance by his side. "Puppets aren't they, these humans... Expose their weakness and they'll do anything to survive." He cackled, and stepped into the complete light to reveal the saber against Lance's neck. "Your a fool Nichiro! Thinking that bringing back slavery will end the grudge." Zip snapped. "SILENCE!" Nichiro called, and brought forth his mighty claw. "Stop right there." The Policemen called, and we were surrounded.

"Oh, look they have guns..." Nichiro laughed, "Boomerang Shot!" And the saber, under his power sliced every single one of the policemen's pointed guns. "Weak, there is there weakness." He sighed, finding this mere child's play. "Leave them alone! I have no weakness!" I roared, knowing this was the biggest lie I've ever told. "Ha! I know yours without even trying!" He snickered, and went over to Tory. "Now, about that promise..." He hissed. "No, leave Tory alone!" I called, and I came out behind him. He flung around with the saber inches from my neck. "Come on Katerina punch me... Punch me and I will slice your neck in half, I dare you." He hissed into my ear menacingly. "No, you'll kill me with your-no, my-OUR saber!" I roared, and backed away at once. "You're a confused lost child... Weak and vulnerable, useless at all costs... Your a no one, a loser, a-" He started, but my anger kicked in. "STOP IT!" I cried, making my hands fists. Tears began to swell up in my eyes. I looked away to shake them off. "Weak spot, I smell a-" He began again, but again he was stopped. "I turned to see who. "Joey no!" Clarice cried, afraid for her friends safety.

He knocked him down and Nichiro crowed, "Why you little!" And he clasp the saber in his evil claws. "Joey watch out!" I screamed, too late. With fast reflexes of the Naga he stabbed Joey... In the stomach! "Joey! No, Joey!" I cried, as tears seeped down my faced. "Weakness again found in you Katerina." Nichiro smiled, and took the saber out of him and left his limp body on the ground. I ran to him and fell to my knees. "That would be murder monster." A policeman snapped, and pulled off a tab from a sheet of paper. "So , I've done that before." Nichiro laughed. "I'm afraid the monster race is at stake from that remark." Another Policeman sighed. "No, we're not all murderers!" Smasher roared, refusing to be called so. "You have no proof and from here on out we may be forced to act." He said, and looked over at me. The limp body of Joey was cradled on my arms sadly.

"I'm sorry miss, we'll get them back for that." The Policeman insisted, and all the monsters looked at me. "NO YOU WON'T! They did nothing! It was Nichiro and that's all, don't count this against anyone." I yelled at them. "I'm sorry little girl, we'll take you back to your mom." Another replied, trying to comfort me. But not one of those words comforted my broken heart. "Little girl? Little-girl?! I travel from my home, my safe home out to this island to be taken back with the death of Joey and my very first monster and so many others?!" I crowed, and I slowly laid Joey's body down. "I don't think so... If I'm going to do anything I'll find the Phoenix, either that or die trying, like Joey." I insisted. "I'm so-" The Policeman began. "DON'T SAY SORRY! That's not what I want to here, for it's not your fault..." I sighed, and turned to Nichiro.

"Ah, ah, ah Katerina... Grudges is Ganki's reason for losing, and your about to, again." Nichiro cackled. "No! The Phoenix is waiting for me and it's my destiny!" I cried and I felt something in my hand. I opened my fist to see a bright shining ball of light. "Joey's faith." I whispered, and I knew where to put it this time. I touched my heart and that's where it was... All along. I looked back at my frightened friends and I could take the pain no longer. I ran inside quickly and say only darkness. I didn't care how far I had to go, or whether I never came back out again. "Phoenix, I call to you it's your one life that remains still true!" I called, and it echoed into the cave the words right back. "Focus on the reason for our journey Katerina...The love of our family, the hope of the past, and the faith of the forgotten and yet remembered friends." I said aloud, and I saw it. The dim shadow of a bird... A giant bird!

I ran to it to find a sulking Phoenix. "Phoenix help us! We need you now!" I crowed, coming up to it bravely. "I can't help you Princess..." It sighed. "Princess? Grrrr, that's not important." I reminded myself. " Yes, you can Phoenix! I believe!" I roared, looking up at the real live Phoenix. "Look, I disappointed that Ganki kid, I refuse to lose again." The Phoenix sighed. "No, you won't lose! Ever again, I have their faith now... Something Ganki never got when he went the distance." I insisted, and looked up at the angered legendary bird. "LISTEN! You're no different then that other kid okay? And he lost too." It said, and looked away. "Then let me lose, let me fall to the despair and disappointment. But I can go home knowing that I didn't give up... Not like I have anything else to lose now." I sighed, and fell to my knees. I seemed to be having a flash back of everything out of no where. I saw the forgotten monsters in the valley, I remembered Hank's death, I heard Mac's final words, and I felt Joey's death.

"You... You are the one that contains the Faith of the Fire... My fire." The Phoenix triumphed and stood up. I then ran out of the cave with the light of the Phoenix's mighty flame. The same brilliant flame my mother told me in stories, fairytales that even at this age blossomed in my heart as a true story. When Nichiro caught sight of the Phoenix he stumbled into the Policemen's hands and was cuffed up. I ran over to Joey's side to show the Phoenix he was the one I would never forget. I then stood up and looked at the hopeful Phoenix. "Though the Phoenix's flame was forever, an everlasting rise of faith, its shine was lost. The ghost of the disks were faded out but now they believe... Phoenix, I give you all of their faith that they kept in their hearts." I recited, and extended my arms into the air.

A million colors flashed into the air and I saw the Phoenix rise with little effort of it's giant wings of beauty and grace. "Ha, it can't stop me." Nichiro laughed, even though the police held him back and he was unable to attack us. "I doubt that Nichiro." Abe insisted, and the police dragged him into the speedboat and tied his stinger up too. "Now, with this faith that you have given me I will shine on the world and revive those who have awaited their rebirth. I wish that you would take the honor of coming with me." The Phoenix asked, but I shook my head sadly. "Though it would be a great honor Phoenix, I still have some matters to deal with." I smiled, and looked back at Joey sadly. "As you wish." It sighed, and flew away forming a wonderful rainbow. I smiled even as tears fell on Joey's cold face. The Phoenix, though hid power is great, cannot revive Joey. "Katerina, I'm sorry." Clarice gasp, seeing Joey in my arms. "No, you don't have to apologize, no one does." I said, as a Policeman tried to take him away. "Stand back, everyone." I sighed, and I put him down again to get the legendary Crystal Saber.

"How will-" The policeman asked, but my words hushed them. "Crystal Saber, do no wrong fix this now!" I called, but nothing happened. "Crystal Saber save him!" I cried, and threw it down. "I thought it could heal... It can't even heal a broken heart." I said, and lifted up his head to stare into his sad face. "Joey, come back! I-I love you okay? You said we would get the crystal back together, and well I need you." I cried, and put my face on his chest giving up and crying. Nothing worked.

"K-Katerina?" Someone asked, and I felt someone's fingers touch my hair. I picked up my head to see Joey! "Joey! Joey, you're alive! Look, the saber!" I yelled, and the saber lifted itself up and the crystal dropped out of it and the saber itself was gone.... Just like that. "I had a feeling it was only there to help us." I sighed, and Joey put his hand on my shoulder. "We did it!" Clarice laughed. "But we couldn't have done it without Katerina!" Abe called, and I smiled at all of them. The monsters and the humans together for the first time ever understood each other. "Katerina, the famous Katerina we'd like to know how you feel about saving the world." A news reporter asked, and I sighed. "It wasn't just me, it was the bond of the monsters and the humans that helped us preserve." I smiled. "Okay, then what about the fuss about the act against monsters that the police just attempted to file." He asked, and I looked over at all my monster friends. "That won't happen, the culprit monster is behind bars at the moment and other monsters shall not be charged for Nichiro's evil intentions... The lost disks are, at this moment being reborn to new life." I sighed, and I gave Zip a high five in front of the camera.

"Well, for as young as you are you sure have a pure heart... Let's give them all a big round of applause." The camera man smiled, and down flew a helicopter where the camera man came from. A great clapping came from the helicopter and out came our parents and Petunia! The pink tiger galloped over to me and wagged its tail. "You did it Katerina, I knew you could... You have all the heart in the world and the faith of the Phoenix." Petunia sighed, and I hugged her. I stood up and looked over at everyone with their families and I smiled at the camera. "Look!" Someone shrieked, and the Phoenix landed behind me and opened its beautiful wings. They all gasp but I looked back at it. "In commemoration of this very day I give you, Katerina the Phoenix pendant to protect you forever. Remember me until your final days and never forget Princess, your father is very proud of you." The Phoenix said, and left into the cave without another word.

"Father?" I asked, but it was long gone. Coincidence that he knew my father called me Princess? I don't think so... I picked up the pendant and I figured out what it was. I opened up the Phoenix shaped necklace and I saw a picture... On one side was of my father and me and the other one was of the whole group Tory's gang, my friends and even Mac.... They all were there, by my side for when I'm in trouble. "Is this possible that the Phoenix could be your biological father?" The camera man asked, and camera's flashed and all the news stations came. "I think that's for everyone else to decide... Don't you think?" I asked, and my friends and I hopped into the helicopter, without another word. 


End file.
